Someday My Prince Will Come
by rivereq
Summary: Dimitri is a prince, in the middle of a war he rescues Rose, but never really wanted to. The two become unlikely allys as they fight for family, pride and love. Banner Bunny Contest entry.
1. Chapter 1

Richelle Mead owns these characters.

**Dimitri.**

The evening sun blazed a scorching heat that made the sweat on my back stick to the inner lining of my armor. The suns bright rays streamed across the empty field where we had come to a stop. I pull my hair back up and strap the light brown strands in a leather band, cooling the warm moisture running down my neck. The dirt and grime caked on my skin itching and mixed with blood. Some of it the blood of my enemies and some of it my own. We had stopped to rest for a bit before riding off in the direction of home for what would be the longest hours of our journey. It was sad really, having to ride back home in the almost of night in order to stay clear of the attacking Moroi. However, I wouldn't take any chances with my men. I had promised my people that I would bring back our soldiers with a victory to accompany us and they would see it as a sign of hope for the end of this war.

As the prince, it was my duty to ride into battle among the men who risk their lives to protect me and the people of Baia. The Dhampir. I wasn't one of those royals who sat back and let everyone else do the work for me. I wanted in on the action and I wanted the right to deserve my place as their leader. I wasn't like the Moroi royals, Prince Adrian Ivashkov, who was the very reason for this unnecessary war. He was spoiled and ungrateful, too rich and fragile to fight with his men unlike me. He was weak and used his take over of their kingdom for his father who was ill and could no longer rule. It was a shame; King Ivashkov's own son had ruined his once peaceful kingdom and run it right into the ground. The very ground where many of his soldiers bodies lay, still as the lifeless corpses they were. He didn't care, as long as he could stuff himself with liquor and women, why should a slaughter of his own people affect him. There's plenty more where those men came from.

It was odd how his army worked their way through war with no strategy. They were cowards just like the man who lead them. They were working in groups, surprise attacking not only my men and camps, but the small villages outside of the Baia boundaries. At all hours of the night and early hours of morning. They left the bodies of small children and women out to lay merecilessly. How much they had suffered for only living outside of our lands. It wasn't fair and as a strong leading male of my family, it angered me beyond repair how they could slaughter innocent people. 'Sir.' I snap my head in the direction of Ivan, my oldest friend and second in command. He would risk his life for me just as I would for any man in my camp. 'What did you find, Ivan?' He sighs deeply and wears a sad expression on his rugged aging face. It's laced with bruises and cuts, and gravel as a reminder of how long we have been fighting. 'It doesn't look well, Dimka, it seems the whole village has been slaught-' 'Captain!'

We both ride off in the direction of Mikhail's voice down the hill leading into the small village we had come across while we rested. Mikhail stands a few feet from a small house while another two men carefully surround another small house next to it. This one looks older and the only house where the fires didn't destroy it completely. 'What is it, Mikhail?' He steps a few inches closer and brings his voice down to a whisper as Ivan and I listen intently. 'The men hear noises coming from that home. Is it wise to enter the house and check, Sir?' After a quick second of thinking it over, I nod and signal for two more men to follow Mikhail to the house. The soldiers draw their swords and prepare themselves in case of a trap or terrified townspeople who are ready to protect themselves. I watch as the men surround the small fragile looking home and close in on the door. Once their ready, Mikhail knocks lightly and yells that we are soldiers serving under Queen Belikova and have come to help. Mikhail signals for the men to be ready as he must have heard something in the home.

After a minute of complete silence, Mikhail knocks again. 'We bring you no harm! We are here to help! We are soldiers serving under the command of Queen Beliko-' 'Ive heard you already!' A light voice sounded from inside the house. It was the sound of a female's voice and she sounded as tired as I was. 'We need proof, how do I know you're not waiting to kill me once I open the door?' She also sounded smart, but not smart enough as she had given away she wasn't the only one in hiding. 'Well?' And she was as impatient as ever. Mikhail removes his shield from around his back and places it in front of a huge crack in the wall with a hole big enough where she could see it. 'Not good enough, you could've killed a soldier and taken it from the body!' Mikhail sighed tiredly and dropped his shield with a thump on the ground. He then looked to me and waited for my nod of approval before removing a coin from his satchel and sliding it under the door.

'All citizens of Baia use currency without the Moroi royals pictured on it. If I was a Moroi soldier why would I have that coin, it is of no value to them!' Another long minute of silence and the woman must have finally believed him as the old wooden door slowly creeps open. I never understood it myself, why the Moroi would print money with that face of a spoiled son and ban any other money that didn't. What did the prince do that was so great for their kingdom, but start a never-ending war over land that belonged to no one. The Moroi were a greedy kind. 'There's no one else... The whole village was attacked by Moroi soldiers and my sister, she's hurt. She needs help, please...' The small brunette pleaded with Mikhail as the men went into the darkness of the house. She looked tired and her dress, which I could make out used to be the color of white, was now covered in mud and spotted with blood. Her long dark brown hair hung messily to the middle of her back, her brown eyes showing relief, but fear as the men entered the home and her sister was pulled out of the rubble. 'What will we do with them?' Ivan whispered as we watched Mikhail look over the blonde girl who looked like she had got the worst of the two.

'See if we can help the girl and do what we can to feed them and first aid. After that send them on their way, we don't need to pull unnecessary weight.' Ivan just nods to me and gets off his horse to address Mikhail and the other soldiers. It wasn't that I was against taking the girls to safety; it was just too risky to bring them along. We had to move quickly if we wanted to get back home safely. The sneak attacks and ambushes were too much of a risk already, but with two girls and one injured, it was basically asking the Moroi to attack. They were better off without us and I was sure of this. Mikhail whispers something to Ivan as another soldier overlooks the brunette and assess her. She keeps her eyes on her sister, flinching at the sounds of pain coming from the young girl's mouth. She looked bad, her blond hair smothered in blood at the ends and her dress barely hanging on her body. 'What happened to you both?' Ivan asks the brunette, but all she does clutch her eyes closed tightly and shake her head no. Ivan gets up from kneeling beside Mikhail and steps closer to the brunette. In a gesture of peace, he raises his hands to let her know he isn't harmful. 'What is your name, miss?' 'Rose'

She answered after a few silent minutes. Ivan points to the blonde girl in an attempt to ask her name as well and Rose answers. 'Lissa. We were attacked in our home, the soldiers they- they forced themselves on her. They nearly beat her to death and held me down-' She couldn't even finish telling the story and tried extremely hard to hold in her tears. Ivan nodded to the girl and then walked back to where I was with a look of grief on his face. 'The girl is too far gone, she's lost a lot of blood and the blood hasn't stopped. It could be any time now. The other has just some cuts and bruises, she'll be fine.' I nod and look back to Rose as she kneels on the side of her sister and takes her hand. I can't hear what's being said, but I can tell she's promising something that can never be. Mikhail rises from their side and gestures for the other soldiers to leave them as well. 'What should we do with them, Sir?' This time it's Mikhail that asked me and it makes me a little confused. After all I've already gave the orders to Ivan who should've repeated them to Mikhail. 'Do what you can with them and then we leave before nightfall. It's too dangerous to wait any longer.'

I leave the men standing there and ride off on my horse, give him water and a much needed break. A deep sigh releases itself from me as I take a moment to wash myself with the water I travel with. I take a few minutes to myself, think about the unfortunate tragedy this village has gone through and wonder about my family. If Karolina has finally got the royal court to listen and think of another way to peacefully split the land. If Viktoria is keeping mother at ease about how long I've been away and if Paul is still practicing on his archery skills. To be home again, I wanted nothing more than to ride off and not stop until I got into the safety of the gates. How the tall yellow grass that was a few acres behind the castle would let me hide in it and take in the quiet of the day. All the chaotic thoughts running through my mind would ease and I would smile at the small moments with my nieces, the way Sonya teased me about finding a wife and my mother beaming at that very thought. All I wanted to do at this moment was get home, replenish the soldiers and let my family know I was still alive. 'Dimka...' 'Ivan' His footsteps were heavy, but so was his voice.

Our talks were always helpful and assuring, but this one felt different and it unsettled me. I wait until he's closer to turn around and face him. Once I do I regret it, he sighs deeply and looks off into the field of nothing. As if staring into some invisible abyss. 'Mikhail says the girl could go at any time now... We can't just leave them wounded out in the open, what if the Moroi come back?' I sigh deeply, knowing full well of what he's asking, but it's too risky. There's too much at stake for a life already fading and another that's only going to become a liability. 'All they'll do is slow us down. I won't risk the men.' Ivan then looked to me and shared a look of pity for those women, but also a look of confusion. 'And what if the Moroi catch up and kill them? Will we just leave them to die?' I shake my head no and look to the ground already ashamed of what I'm going to say. 'If we travel with them, we will never get home safe...' Ivan stepped a foot closer to me and beckoned me to look in his eyes. They were full of sincerity and even a little shame themselves. 'We have been friends for so long, at times as close as brothers and I would risk my life for you or anyone else who shares the Belikov name. Your my family... What if it were Viktoria?' My gaze hardens and I glare at the mere thought of this becoming true and the fact that Ivan spoke those words made the feeling of anger even more present. 'Or Sonya or even my wife-' 'Karolina can protect herself just as Sonya and Viktoria! How dare you talk of them in this situation?' 'That's it though, Dimitri, we could help them and get them to safety. If not it's innocent blood on our hands.' Our faces only inches apart as our tempers flare with anger and frustration. The stress of getting back home, the point Ivan made about innocent lives; shit.

A quiet calm takes over our proximity and like the wind, the tension is gone. It leaves me to think things over. This is too much of a risk and not a careful move, which I designed my men to be; careful. 'Just halfway, to the small town outside the gates and then we ride the rest of the way home, Dimka' I shake my head as I step away from Ivan and think over the endless possibilities that can go wrong. The slow pace we would have to keep for the girls to keep up, the moments of rest they'll need and the time when the blonde girl finally passes. All I wanted was to get home, see my family and give the men a break until it was time to ride out again. But I couldn't leave them, Ivan was right. What if it was one of my sisters? 'To Omsk. They ride to Omsk and then we move forward on our own.' Ivan nods silently knowing not to push me at this moment and heads off to repeat orders.

**Rose.**

The fire crackles and sends small flares of ashes into the night sky. I watch as the soldier who tried to help Lissa returns from the tent they set us up in and keep my face hidden of emotion. He looked grim and tired like most of the men in this camp did. I knew without a doubt he had terrible news to give me and I also knew it was only a matter of time before I would lose Lissa. She wasn't going to get any better even if we did somehow get to Baia in time. The thought saddens me, makes me close my eyes in attempt to keep the tears from escaping. Back home I had told her I would get her help and that we would be okay. I had made a promise I knew I shouldn't have made, but I couldn't stand the look of defeat and pain crossing her face. It angered me, Lissa and the Dragomir's were my family, all I had left, and now they were fading. Fast.

I couldn't help but wonder why things of this sort kept happening to me. First I lose my family, then the Dragomir's and now Lissa is fighting a losing battle for her life. Speaking of battles, I wonder how long these men have been in war and how long until they can go home. There were only about a hundred or so soldiers here and they were covered in what could only be the debris of war. They had dirty faces and clothes under their armor, there was blood and bruises stuck on many of their faces and they all looked tired. Exhausted. They had probably been giving the fight of their lives day in and day out. 'Are you hungry, miss Rose?' I look up into the kind eyes of the soldier who has been helping me, Mikhail I think his name was. I shake my head no and go back to gazing at the fire before me, hearing the wood crack and watching it burn with a dark orange glow.

'Your sister is finally sleeping, she should sleep through the night, but she is also going to need medical attention as soon as possible. Her pain won't subside forever.' I nod and as he sits down across from me, with the fire between us, I know what he's saying without him having to say it. Lissa's time is coming to an end and soon. 'It was just you two staying in the house?' I shake my head no and keep my eyes away from his face. I had to if I was going to be around these soldiers, they didn't need some damsel in distress girl crying every second we were here. 'You lived there with your family?' I nod and finally find the will to speak. 'Those Moroi pigs attacked us for no reason, were not even apart the boundaries outlining Baia. We were no part of this war.' He shook his head in sadness as the other soldiers around us sat and ate or downed water like they have been deprived of it for so long. 'The Moroi will attack anything in their way. They have no strategy for this war, only to kill as many of us as they can. You're not the only village they've went through.' A quiet moment passed as we sat on each side of the fire.

Until Mikhail asked another question bringing me out of the silence. 'Did they kill everyone in your home?' 'Yes, except me and Lissa, but they got what they wanted from her.' I could feel his eyes on me, waiting for something to happen; maybe he thought I was going to break down. However, I knew better. I wasn't one to cry about my problems. I figured out long ago that anger was my release and I would use it to my best ability. 'Do either of you have any family that live somewhere else?' I shake my head no. 'I don't have any family.' 'No one at all?' 'No. My father was imprisoned for selling medicines to a few people in the town I was born in. My mother was murdered when she tried to protect him from King Ivashkov's soldiers. So I have no one and neither does she.' He nodded and swallowed deeply, letting his eyes wonder about the camp. 'Why was your father breaking the law?' I sighed heavily, picking up a stick from the floor and drawing mindless swirls in the dirt. I hated telling this story. It brought memories to my mind I'd rather forget. 'I had gotten sick when I was a child. I almost died, but my father had sold all our animal stock in order to make the medicine I needed to heal. We couldn't afford to go to court to buy it.'

Mikhail watched as I purposely avoided his eyes and continued telling my story. 'A friend of his needed it also, for his new born son, he was worse off than me. After that someone else needed it and then someone else. Until one day a group of royal guards came into town and raided my home. Another man had asked my father for help, but my father had run out of the medicine and he became bitter as his daughter didn't last very long.' The blur of my eyes caused by the unshed tears brought a huge lump to my throat, but I swallowed it down and continued on. 'So he told a royal guard who came into town often. The guards killed my mother for trying to block the doorway and then arrested my father in front of me. I never saw him again.' Mikhail swallowed and as I looked around, I noticed a few other soldiers were listening to us as well. 'How old were you?' One soldier asked and I shrugged before answering. 'I was only five, five years old and my whole family taken from me. A neighbor who had waited for the guards to leave went into my home and got me. They brought me to the town where you found us. They gave me to a friend of my father that we visited often. The Dragomir's took me in and raised me as their own until two days ago. When soldiers attacked the town and destroyed everything in their path.' I could see the looks of pity and sympathy without even having to move my eyes around the camp. 'They didn't destroy you, the other girl maybe, but you didn't get the worst of it.' I didn't know this soldiers name, but by his tone of voice and the glare of his squinting blue eyes; I didn't like him. He gave off the impression that I was lucky or that it was my fault somehow. 'I fought them off.'

A snide smirk graced his rugged unshaven face and his eyes squinted at me in amusement. 'Excuse me, you what?' Anger, it was slowly rising within my chest and it was only a matter of time before I snapped. 'I said I fought them off. I'm well aware of how to defend myself.' His smirk flew into a wide smug smile and I wanted nothing more to smack it right off of him. 'You don't say, miss.' A few of the soldiers let out quiet chuckles at the man's sarcastic words. I faced him, stared at him with a glare of determination. Just because he was some high and mighty soldier didn't give him a right to patronize me. 'Yes. I would watch the boys in the town who would train. I can pick up things rather quickly by watching.' He let another smug smile move across his face and winked at me suggestively. 'I bet you could.' The men this time let their laughs take over the once silent forest and it only angered me even more. 'That's enough, comrades, let the lady rest.' Ivan, the one who followed the prince dutifully had spoken and gave me a look of understanding. He nodded to me subtly and I returned it before standing and walking to the tent.

**...**

Her face was pale, her skin a lighter shade than before and the sweat from her fever drenching the hair at the roots. I sigh, deeply in thought of how I'm going to fulfill my promise to her and help her when I can't. There was too much blood, too much suffering and the images of those monstrous men laughing as they penetrated her frail body, one by one. I couldn't stand the sight they made me watch, the two men holding me down basically on top of me as I struggled and struggled to get up. To get to Andre's sword and chop off all five of those men's most valued body part. The images then changed into the one of them dragging Rhea outside and throwing her to the ground as she was still pregnant with Jillian, who we would have welcomed in only one more month.

Andre and myself were running up to the house to try and stop them, dropping all of the supplies we collected from the market, but we were too late. The soldier had Rhea on the ground and another had rode his horse over her body. We watched as the speeding horse trampled over her, killing her instantly. Then we fought them off with Eric trying to pry a man off Lissa and trying to get to his murdered wife. Andre had taken two out, me one with the cooking pan that was still a little hot. Inside that house was chaos until the captain of those men entered and drove his sword into Andre's back as if he were cutting nothing but air. More men entering the house, fighting to get the pan away from me and beating the life out of Eric. Then the beating they gave me as I was held down and forced to watch my best friend violated. It wasn't until their leader had come and had his turn that I snapped. The men thinking I gave up struggling letting me go and once I had the chance, I drove Andre's abandoned sword through his thigh. I knew it didn't kill him, but it got them to leave us alone as someone had called them to leave before the Dhampir soldiers would arrive.

The memories overwhelm me and this time I can't stop the tears as they fall. I grip Lissa's hand in mine, squeezing for any sign of hope that she would be okay in the morning. 'I'm sorry, Liss. I'm sorry I couldn't get us out before they got to you.' I licked my lips as the salty tears streamed down my face and closed my eyes tightly. 'I'm so sorry, but don't give up. Please, not yet.' It was irrelevant this small sad atom of hope I had in my mind. But I had to try; I had to hope for the both of us even if it was a long shot. 'I'll try, I'll try to get us somewhere safe, okay.' The last words were whispers as I lay beside her and fade off into sleep, letting the sobs pull me into unconsciousness.

A bright light of sun shines through the small peek of the tent opening. My eyes, stinging with burn and redness from all the crying, blink rapidly to focus. I inhale the fresh air of the forest and release my breath sitting up. I turn to look at Lissa. In that moment, a number of things swirled within me and I was overwhelmed. My eyes took in the color of her skin, once naturally pale with life and now an almost still blue. My hand reaches out for her's and immediately feels the cold lifeless fingers in my warm palm. 'Liss' My throat contracts with my barely there voice leaving me as I become taken over with emotion. My chest heaves in and out, my hand grips her cold one and my mind spinning with anger. I was angry, frustrated and pained. Another person lost to me and there was nothing I could do. 'Miss Rose, the captain needs us to pack up camp and get ready to le-' Mikhail's voice holts at the sight in front of him and his eyes drop from steady to sad. I reach over and kiss her forehead lightly, silently telling my sister goodbye. 'She's gone.' Mikhail swallows heavily and nods in okay slowly. 'We'll give her a proper burial and give you the appropriate time to mourn her-' 'No need. Where is Ivan?' The look of surprise on Mikhail's face quickly fades as he points behind outside gesturing where Ivan is. 'I need to speak with him.' I leave the tent with those last words and set on my way to find Ivan. I'm not going to cry and weep for my losses anymore, no; I'm just going to get even.

**For the Banner Bunny Contest. **

**By the way, ive completely made this whole story up from the banner I received. I was not alive in the medieval/gladiator-ish times, so bare with me on the lingo and stuff. Also I watched Game of Thrones, Gladiator and A Knights Tale before writing this. So Im pretty much going off of what I saw on those. (:**

**P.S. I got to use the word satchel. Nice! (;**

**P.S.S Ill update the next chapter as soon as I can.**


	2. Chapter 2

****Richelle Mead owns these characters.

**Two.**

_'Do you think it's a boy?' She rubbed her swollen belly and smiled gently at it, turning her eyes to me after. 'Oh, no, she is very much a girl.' We both smile, sitting in the warmth of a fire as we wait for it to die out. It was late and I couldn't sleep, but everyone else in the house was snoring softly. Rhea had also found trouble sleeping, but I think it was due to the little creature she was hauling around. I sat with a curious expression on my face and wondered what she meant. 'You sound so sure. How do you know?' 'I can feel it, sense it.' Feel? 'It's like when you first arrived here, I knew you would come. I kept smelling the flowers your mother always picked from our garden throughout the day. It's almost as a dream. I dream of you often, Rosemarie.' She knew I would come? It didn't make any sense to me and too afraid to ask to explain her dream. I thought to ask something else instead. 'What else happens in these... dreams?' She smiled widely, rubbed her stomach affectionately and then closed her eyes as if she was watching something within them. 'It's hard to tell, but you always triumph. You are destined for great things, my Rose. For great adventure and a great love, your life will mean something important someday.' I smile small at the details, thinking maybe she was right; maybe I would do great things. 'And what of you and Lissa and everyone else? What is your life destined for?' The smile from her face seems to drop into a curious frown. Her eyes opened and focused solely on me, but I felt she wasn't exactly looking at me. 'Well, my Rose, this is where the dreams seem to... fade. It's unknown our destiny, but we shall stay with you and all that you endure.'_

The memory fades as I wait for Ivan outside his tent. All the soldiers move across the camp gathering their belongings and preparing their horses. I watch silently as they never meet my eyes, as they exist as if I'm not even there. The sun is bright and the wind calm, but something still clouds the day. Rhea was wrong, the Dragomir's have all died and no one lives besides me. If I was to live for great things, then why have bad things seem to happen rapidly? The attack, Lissa's death and now I have no one and nothing. Just a bunch of soldiers to follow as they guide me to safety, but what comes after that. Where's this triumphant destiny I was supposed to live? The so called great love? 'Is everything alright, Miss Rose?' I turn at his voice and nod a yes, but keep my troubles held back. 'Do you need anything?' I take a deep breath and release it as I speak. 'My sister has passed this morning.' His face becomes sad and he looks to the ground in disappointment. 'My sincerest apologies-' 'Its fine. This happens, people die and people move on.' It takes him awhile to nod back, but he seemed to be searching my eyes before doing so.

I sigh lightly at the looks of pity and apologies I'd receive once word made it around camp about Lissa. Even though they were elite soldiers, confident and skilled in what they do, they still felt loss and sadness. 'Well, Miss Rose, if there's anything you require during our travel please let me or Mikhail know.' I nod at his gesture and before he could walk away the words spill from my mouth rushed. 'Actually there is something I require...' He turned to face me and wore an expression of curiosity as I took my time to say the words. 'I'm aware of the consequences that come with traveling with your camp and as I've said I can defend myself.' He waits for me to finish, the silence heavy as we stand before each other. 'You and your men are skilled fighters and the prince is a great warrior himself, but I can be of purpose. I can hold my own if you would train me.' He stood, not blinking and what look to be not breathing. I stepped closer to him slowly and lightly touched his arm. 'Ivan?' His eyes snapped into action, his body became stiff and the look he wore was of disbelief. 'Excuse me?'

**…**

'It will be a lot easier now and there's no one injured traveling with us. I can keep up, I know it and I can help.' This stopped him, the black metal armor enclosed tight on his body stood before me, still as a statue. I heard him sigh a deep tiring breath and turn around slowly. I had been trying to convince him since he stood dumbfounded by his tent. I kept up with his heavy quick footsteps and followed him around the camp. He and the rest of the soldiers packed up in preparation to leave and were now getting ready to route the trail we would be taking. The prince was quite careful with his men and being prepared for any possible attacks among them. But that was the last thing on my mind as I continued to chase after Ivan. I was going to convince him and I wouldn't stop until he gave in or became so irritated he chopped my head off before I could mumble the next plea. 'You could help? I'm not so sure of that, Miss Rose.' I sighed becoming frustrated at the lack of faith he had in the idea. 'Yes. I told you, I know how to defend myself, but I could use work. You could teach me, I learn fairly quickly and I'll be no problem teaching.' For a moment his eyes stayed on mine and in them I seen only one thing. Intrigue. It was a fair small amount, but it was a start.

He stood tall and quiet for a moment before shaking his head of all the emotions and thoughts. Turning back around to walk away, but I followed him closely. 'No. It isn't right, a woman fighting with a bunch of men, men who have been in war, a war like this one where there is no- No. It won't end well and I'm not going to carry the guilt if anything happens to you.' So much for the intrigue, of course, that didn't mean I was just going to give up. I wouldn't and couldn't follow them like some burden or some poor damsel in distress. I was useful and I would prove it to him. To all of them. 'Ivan, please, I beg you. Just give me one chance and-' 'Miss Rose, I admire your courage and determination to help in any way you can, but not fighting. It isn't even allowed we both know that.' He stopped once again and turned around to look at me. He felt sorry for me, he mourned for me because I had lost the last of family I had. I could see the pity in his eyes before he blinked it away. 'The prince has been very kind to you with giving aid and taking you along to safety, but if he were to find out of what you're asking... We would all be in a tremendous amount of trouble. Miss Rose, take these words I'm about to share with you to heart. No man would take mercy on a woman fighting in battle. You're better off keeping yourself scarce until we get to safe ground.' The hope or intrigue or whatever that small hint in his eyes is now gone. Ivan walked off leaving me standing in the same spot to take in his words. And I did, I thought about the trouble I was asking of him and the trouble we could get into if the royals found out. Unfortunately, I didn't find a reason to change my mind about what I was asking. I wanted to fight and I would whether they gave me the permission to or not. However, the constant rejection was beginning to take its toll and becoming very frustrating.

I followed to where Ivan was laying out the map we were to follow. None of the men had gone into the tent yet, so I walked in a little after him ready to beg on my knees at this point. 'Ivan, please! You have to understand I have no one, not one person or single possession. I have nothing to lose at this point.' His eyes turned hard and his frustration showed as he looked down to the table shaking his head. I knew I still didn't reach him and I had to make him see I wasn't going to give up. 'Miss Rose-' 'Please! This is the only way I can avenge my family!' His head snapped up to meet my eyes and he glared. '_Avenge?_ You think this a time to take revenge on those men? In this war miss Rose, they fight meaning to kill. You're talking out of grief and anger-' 'They deserve some kind of justice!' 'You cannot fight out of vengeance!' Ivan yelled as he slammed his fist into the table and a quiet eerie silence graced us after his words. I felt like crying at this very moment. Why couldn't he understand? Why couldn't I just fight and do something? I most likely would have cried if it wasn't for the calm deep voice that spoke breaking all the tension. 'She cannot fight at all.'

He stood there, in the doorway of the tent; his dark armor shined a glare reflecting the light of the sun. His eyes brown and deep squinting at us both, but showing no emotion at all. His blank expression and the way some light brown strands of hair surrounded his face didn't deter from his words though. I will admit that he was very handsome. His height, chiseled jaw and lean frame, it only made him more appealing. His eyes though they were a deep endless pool of brown, eyes you could get lost in. And I almost did, except his words seem to still be floating in my mind. 'Who died and made you god?' His eyes, which were focused on Ivan for a small second shot to me as I spoke. 'No one. These are my men and this is my camp. Your just here until we've reached Omsk.' His voice sounded in a calm collected way,but didnt stop me from- Wait! Omsk? 'You said you would take me to Baia. To where it's safe.' He looked back to Ivan, walking to the table where the map we would follow laid and spoke again. 'I said I would take you as far as I can; Omsk.' Even though he was a very attractive man and honorable and royal, he only infuriated me. 'That's not even halfway to Baia! You said you would take me-' 'Then you'll have to make the rest of the way by yourself.' After cutting me off and glaring at Ivan the prince grabbed the map and began making his way over to where some soldiers stood outside. I followed, irritated and angry with these men and their egos. It wasn't going to stop me from confronting him. 'That's the end of it? Take me not even half way and then leave me to travel alone! What about the Moroi, what if they come back?'

He just kept walking away from me, ignoring me as if I was never there. I moved my feet faster to catch up to him before he could get anywhere else and spoke firmly knowing his men were standing a few feet from him. 'You're no better than the Moroi.' He turned to glare at me, his face wasn't scarred or covered in the blood it was yesterday and the scruff of his facial hair cast a demeaning shadow on his face. He looked god-like standing there in the rays of the sun like the powerful figure he was. From where I stood, his presence alone assured power; royalty. It seemed the whole camp had froze at my words and all their attention had focused on us, or rather him. He stood tall and looked at me as I stood to the side of him. I spoke as calmly as I could when I said that, but it didn't matter. I knew I had said something wrong, very wrong, but I didn't care at the moment. His eyes shifted and became a deeper brown. As if they changed with every emotion he went through. A hard still glare unsettled me as I knew that maybe I did finally cross the line. I had insulted a royal and in front of his own men no less. 'No, the Moroi beat you... made you watch as they raped your sister, killed your family... I helped you, I feed you and healed you... given you supplies that I need for my men to make it back home and I'm no better than those filthy worthless Moroi!' I felt incredibly small as his deep voice sounded in a calm rage. Like a small miss-behaved child being scolded by their parent. It was still quiet as the prince stood before me, his tall shadow covering me in darkness as I took in his words. 'Your men helped me... and you were convinced to drag me along. I've heard the soldiers talking; all you did was agree. You never wanted to help us. I'm too much of a risk and that bothers you.' His glare seem to grow harder as I spoke, no one said anything as we stood face to face and challenged each other.

He looked as though he wanted to say something. I'm sure it was something bad and most likely he wanted me to find my own way to anywhere now. I was sure at any moment he was about behead me or maybe take a limb for disrespecting a royal figure publicly. In the Moroi kingdom, when I lived with my father and mother, an action like the one I just did was sentenced by torture or death. I didn't know what the penalty in the Dhampir kingdom was, but I didn't want to find out. I swallowed heavily as he leaned closer to me, glaring at me and stirring the tension. My stomach knotted up in a deep sinking twist of fear as I anticipated what would happen next. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead of words coming out of his mouth it was more of a groan. An unfamiliar groan neither of us had made, but as I turned my head toward the sound I quickly figured out what it was.

**Dimitri.****  
**

Arrows. The swift almost silent sound of arrows racing into the day lit air drove themselves straight into the chest of Ivan. It cut off the battle I was currently fighting with Rose and raised the tension even more throughout the camp. At that precise moment where Ivan groaned and fell to his knees, my men snapped into action. The shouts of buria sounded from voices I couldn't make out, clanks of swords and arrows swishing by my head blurring all together. I watched as Ivan spit up blood and reached for his chest where the two sticks had stuck out. This wasn't real, this couldn't be happening, but it clearly was.

The way he had fallen, almost forward as if to block something or rather someone. _Rose._ She kneeled down next to him as the men surrounded us in a protecting circle. Their shields enclosing us as Ivan bled on the ground, Rose's hands and out of his mouth. She held pressure to his wounds and screamed something at me as I struggled to concentrate. I couldn't make out her words, but her expression was frantic. It wasn't until Mikhail physically turned me to face him that I had snapped into action. 'There's only a few this time, we should get him to safety before the damage gets worse.' I nod and help Rose lift Ivan and we struggle dragging him in order to get him hidden. We move behind his still set up tent and I leave a soldier there to aid Rose. I draw my sword and head back to my fighting men. The Moroi taunt us, riding their horses only so close as they shoot arrows and then others attack with swords as we cover. It was an ambush; we had stayed in one spot too long. We should have left first thing in the morning. I dodge and duck swinging my sword as the horseman passes by and connect with the metal he holds.

Our swords clang, more arrows fly over my head and men are fighting left and right. I can't keep the worry for Ivan away and the fear drives me to attack anything unfamiliar. We were on the ground as they attacked. The horses all ready and waiting as we were supposed to be moving along by now. I have to make it to one and quick. 'Castile, the horses!' I shout to the third in command and he nods knowing I'm going to need cover. Once I'm on a horse, I'm unstoppable and nothing gets passed my sword. I move fast and run through attacking Moroi, swinging any chance I get and colliding with other metal or bodies. I run as fast as I can to get to a horse. Once I'm on one, I turn back and ride through the camp looking out for Ivan and for any chance to strike the enemy. The screams and noise of battle tear at my ears as I fight my way through the chaos. I spot Edison on Ivan's horse and the feeling of calm starts to spread within me. He's taking out Moroi left and right, his hair moving in the wind caused by how quick he's moving. The sword in his hand strikes anything that's unfamiliar; it's the quickest I've seen him fight yet. Wait, his hair? Once I turn to look again in his direction I'm baffled. Rose.

She moves quickly with stealth and she looked deadly. She moves like the waves of the ocean as they wash away the sand on the shore. It happens so fast you can't blink or you'll miss it. The yells and groans she makes, as she picks up the heavy sword and swings it with all her might erupt from her throat and sound before the forest. Her sword meets with others and sometimes with just air, but she's wounding them and taking them down one by one. She was beautiful in battle, like an avenging angel come to deliver the justice of heaven. She was breathtaking, beautiful and reckless. An arrow passing only inches from my face snaps me out of the daze and I turn to face Mikhail loading another onto his bow. He gives a nod of recognition and moves on as I turn to the direction where the arrow flew straight into the throat of a Moroi soldier about to attack. I shake my head and put my focus back into the battle, I ride through the forest fierce and eyes open searching for danger. The men have moved the Moroi back a few feet and now as most of us are on horseback, it's an all-out chase to kill as many as possible. My mind quickly wonders to Rose and if she is okay, then to Ivan and if I will get to bring him back home alive. The worry only grows and then turns into anger as I fear the loss of my brother. What would I do if he was gone? How would I explain to Karolina and my family that I couldn't keep my word and bring him back to his children? What would Paul think of this, his hero gone? No. I couldn't think that way; Ivan is strong and will live. He had to there was too much to lose.

**Rose.**

The silence was settling. We moved along in quiet sorrow as we followed the path to wherever it was we were going. Safe ground seemed so far away. The men were quiet, the sounds of the forest seem to fade, and we were covered in blood and sadness. The aftermath of war. It wasn't long for the soldiers and prince to get things in gear. We killed every Moroi who decided to cowardly attack us. We were blindsided, left vulnerable and the prince had hated that very fact. _"We should have been long gone from here!" "We should have made camp deeper in to the forest. Now were eight men less and have to bring along a weakness!"_ His vice roared as his soldiers gathered the eight brave souls together and buried them. Ivan being one of them.

He was trying to protect me, seeing the archer before anyone else and throwing his body in front of mine. I had no idea why or what possessed him to do that, but I was thankful. Then those words Ivan spoke before I had left him, the very words that still ring in my head now as I follow the men ahead of me._ 'Go. Fight. My horse is prepared, take it, Miss Rose.'_ At first it shocked me he was finally giving in and I was unsure of him. _'Help them. Honor your family... prove yourself worthy. I understand now, Miss Rose... It's all we can do; when we have nothing left... fight.'_ Then that weak grip of my hand fell light and he was gone. He bled to death; the arrows were too deep to pull out and punctured his lung. All I could do was close my eyes and whisper a soft promise to this kind stranger and kiss his forehead, telling him goodbye. The next second I was on horseback swinging the heaviest of swords at anything in my way. I was good with a sword, a champion with a bow and arrow, but these soldiers were artist with their weapons. They created masterpieces with their skills and fearless knowledge of the battlefield.

I felt like one of them. As if I was among peers and the brotherhood they carried shined out in the forest. It was like they had eyes everywhere, they protected each other and the enemy stood no chance. I helped all I could, I only wounded a few, but it made it easier for the soldiers to kill them. I even got a few nods and pads on the back for my bravery from a few of the soldiers. Mikhail especially, who said Ivan would've been honored for me to carry his sword. Only I didn't feel honorable using it or riding his horse. Especially since the prince has just been glaring at me since we left. As Mikhail helped me back onto the horse and into the gear that fit of Ivan's. No kind subtle nod or pad on the back; nothing. Mikhail sighs as we ride next to each other in the silent line of soldiers. The night graces upon us and we follow the path in tired quiet tension. 'Is it always like this after... something like that?' I didn't know exactly how to ask the question, but Mikhail still understood. He nods and keeps his eyes moving around us in search for something with potential danger. 'The quiet is supposed to be soothing, like a calm after a storm, but for me it's just a small break before the next wave of danger.' I nod in understanding.

These men have continuously put their lives on the line for a country and people that have been good to them. For their families and friends and countrymen. It made me respect them even more. They had no order or reason to save me and Lissa, but they still did. They did the right thing to do at a time like this. 'Why did the prince save us? If he doesn't like taking unnecessary risks then why did he agree to bring me along?' I turn to face Mikhail and watch as his rugged scarred face frowns with sadness. 'He didn't want to... Ivan had the most to do with that. He could get the prince to look at things in another way and change his mind about certain things.' 'They were close.' Mikhail nods again as I turn my head to look straight to where the prince and two soldiers on each side of him lead us. 'They were like brothers; Ivan had always been there by the prince's side.' It made sense; I had known that Ivan was married to the oldest of the Belikov siblings. What I didn't know was that they had trusted each other with their lives and I understood a bond like that; I had it with Lissa. 'Is that why he keeps glaring at my very existence? He blames me doesn't he?' Mikhail stood quiet for too long, but his silence spoke loudly; yes.

**...**

I watched as he sat a ways from the rest of the camp. We had stopped in a deep part of the forest as most of the men needed the break. The rest of that walk I was quiet as I thought about what Mikhail had said or didn't say. I had never asked for Ivan to risk his life for me, I simply asked to be taken to safety and then to fight back. However, what if that was asking too much? I knew what it felt like to lose someone you loved, a sister, a brother, a whole family. I sighed heavily as I slowly made my way to where he sat. A grim look graced his handsome face and the dim lighting of the forest fit the mood perfectly. When I finally was a little closer to him, he already knew I was there and looked to me with that all familiar glare.

I froze at the very spot I stood and for once my fear of him showed. Although I would have immediately tried to hide it, I couldn't at this particular moment. I knew exactly what was going on in those eyes of his and the want to hide my fear faded. He was good at shifting his emotions and hiding his feelings, but I'm not one to back off from confrontation. 'Why are you here?' His words came out harshly and gave off the impression he wanted to scare me away, but nothing he could say would work at this moment. I had a bone to pick with him. 'Just for a friendly chat.' He moved his eyes up and down my body, catching the end of my dress as it stood out from under cloak Mikhail covered me with. Under that cloak and over my chest lay the metal chained armor of Ivan. It was the only thing that fit me and it was a little big, but Mikhail thought it would offer some kind of protection. It felt like fire burning my skin as he stared at it though and I wanted to rip it right off. 'Go back to Mikhail and if you ever put yourself in the middle of danger like that again, I'll make it a point that none of my men waste their lives on yours.' 'So it's true then, you blame me for Ivan's death.'

He released a deep long breath and turned away to face the fire the soldiers started. 'You intrude my mission with a wounded girl. You put us in a vulnerable position. You've been nothing but an unnecessary distraction, you're exactly to blame.' Those words only fueled me within to drop the nice approach and snap into the reckless angry person I was. 'I'm not the one who shot the arrows into Ivan's chest! I had nothing to do with his mur-' 'He was trying to protect you! He took an unnecessary risk and it cost him his life! You have no right to wear his armor, ride his horse or carry his sword. You impose on us and cost me eight men.' It was harsh and mean and all these other things, but he had a point. A point I didn't think of until now. My voice came out softer as I realized this and my anger weighed down some. 'I never asked for that sort of protection from your men.' He stood from where he was sitting and walked a few steps in front of me. His fists clenched, stance tall and powerful and his glare blank. 'You didn't have to. It comes with the duty and honor of being a soldier. You put your life behind others.' Then why was he giving me such a hard time about it? As if he heard the silent question, he began to walk closer toward me. He looked at me again, this time his eyes showed what looked to be sincere curiosity. 'You said you learned to fight from watching trainings?' I nod as his voice isn't so firm and angry anymore. He let a few quiet moments occur between us and it was like Mikhail said; a calm after the storm.

**...**

'I apologize for my anger earlier.' I shake my head as we sit a ways in back of the few soldiers who sat in front of the fire. 'It's fine. I understand what it's like when you lose someone close to you. I would've reacted the same.' He stared at the fire in front of us and then quickly glanced to me before looking away. 'You seem fine after the passing of your sister.' The memory of Lissa almost chokes me up, but I resist the urge to cry and nod. 'She was suffering and it needed to end. Also I was only calm for a little while, until I asked Ivan for training.' I shake my head at the disappointing outcome of what I had asked. I never intended for things to go this way, but I couldn't do anything about it now.

It was quiet for a long while as we both sat next to each other. I couldn't exactly read him, he was very back and forth with himself, but it only interested me more. There were a lot of wonderful things about him. The way he carried himself like the powerful figure he was and the way he took everything so personally. I knew what he was feeling, a loss like that could take its toll and I should know. I have lost plenty. 'You miss him...' His gaze went from the fire to the ground and the smallest of nods answered me. For someone who knew of losing people I had no clue of what to say and I don't think anything I could would make him feel better. 'I won't use his things anymore. I won't fight either... If that would make things easier on you to get us where were going.' I stood to walk away, as much as I wanted to find out more about him, I felt leaving him to grieve was the best thing to do. 'Your sword is too heavy. It was made for a man, a man of Ivan's strength, but you did well.'

I stop before leaving him and wait for his eyes to meet mine. When they do, there's a slight gentleness in them and he smiles small. 'Thank you.' He nods and looks down the dirt again, but his voice keeps me standing there. 'My grandmother was right after all.' 'What do you mean?' He sighs lingeringly and looks up ahead to the fire again. 'She said a great challenge awaited me and that I should give in to the needs of others. She said it would not disappoint me, but it would be giving in to what I fear most.' I quietly sat back down on the side of him and waited as he took his time to speak again. 'It wouldn't be wise to keep you away if you can help.' I wasn't sure what he was saying exactly, but it caused a small ounce of hope within me. 'My grandmother, she saw things, sensed them. She must have seen you...' At first it took a minute to come to realization, but when it did I immediately knew what he was saying. 'That sounds like Rhea.' He turned his head to the side as he faced me curiously. 'Who is Rhea?' It was my turn to look to the ground in that sad familiar memory. 'She was Lissa's mother; she raised me as her own. She saw things as well.' We look to each other now and as our eyes meet, it was hard to break away from his entrancing gaze. 'We should start first thing; the best time to train would be when we rest and as we travel.' I nod slightly excited at his words as he rises to his feet. 'We will begin with the sword.'

**Stole that quote from Spirit Bound, i know. I think its like the most beautiful thing that Dimitri says to Rose, even though hes super evil at the time. Anyway, there is only one chapter after this and then this story is over.**

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**Thanks for reading (:**


	3. Chapter 3

****Richelle Mead owns these characters.

**Three.**

_'Never hesitate. Don't let go of the shield unless you absolutely have to, hide yourself behind it and make sure the horse keeps a solid pace, and-' 'I know, I know, hold the sword like my life depends on it. I get it, Comrade.' I shake my head and hand her Ivan's newly altered sword. 'Your life does depend on it, Rose, never forget that.' She nods and clutches the lighter shiny silver in her grasp. Mikhail waits for her a few feet ahead of us as Rose prepares to attack him at full force on her horse. The determination in her eyes always makes me want to see her do better, fight harder and also keep her safe at the same time. Since we started training, things have been less tense and easier. Sometimes the trainings bring us closer as soldiers, closer as a unit and sometimes closer than I'd like to be._

_She takes off at full speed and holds the shield in one hand with the sharp altered sword in the other. I watch as the wind flows through her long soft strands of hair. The horse rides with ease into its target and her eyes. The look in her brown eyes; fierce and deadly, strong and steady, she swings the steel at Mikhail with all her might. She hits his armor hard, causing him to lose his balance and stagger back trying to regain his footing. I smile widely; she's grown and learn so much since we began training all those weeks ago. Every chance we got whether resting and camping or just to take water, Rose was determined to learn and she learned quickly. As I was becoming more and more determined to make sure she knew everything I could teach her about protecting herself. And working with the men, moving as one and not letting the Moroi get an advantage._

_'I think this time you broke Mikhail's shoulder.' She looks for him behind her as we both sit near the fire waiting for the fish we caught to cook. 'Nah, he's okay, he's a big boy and can handle hits from little old me.' I smile and shake my head at her logic. 'You've become more and more unlike the men since training.' A curious expression crosses her face and makes me smile at her innocent question. 'What do you mean?' I look out into the darkness of the forest, we're only a few hundred miles from home and I let myself lose the control I hold so tightly. 'Your strength, it's endearing and it can also get you into a lot of trouble.' She sighs and nods quietly, but I don't mean to make her feel bad about that. 'You treat me as though I am not royalty, calling me Comrade and talking with me like this.' A worried gaze crosses her face and she frowns. 'I'm so very sorry, your highness. Please, forgive me and my forgetting that you're a royal figure, it's just I've been-' 'its okay, Rose, its fine.' She turns to me, her eyes big and innocent in their brown curiosity. 'It isn't kind or wise to behave so uncaring with a royal figure. I should have known better.' I shrug and smile to her. 'It's okay, really. It's humbling, reminds me of my family... and home.' Home. A place the both of us longed for, me to go back to and her to find one._

_She laughs silently and keeps her eyes away from mine. In the moments like these, the few moments we had together to share and talk about ourselves and not fighting. I had begun to enjoy our light banter and finding all the reasons to laugh in a situation like this. 'Home... Something I could never seem to find.' She said it with a playful lightness, but I heard the pain in her voice. 'In the castle, in my quarters there are books that I've had since my great-grandfather was a boy. He would read them to my mother and then she read them to us. Although, my sisters weren't too keen on old Russian tales.' We both laugh and I catch the shift of her glum mood become wondering. 'I don't think I would have be much interested in old tales myself.' I smile and nod as the deep yellowish fire crackles before us. 'Viktoria says the same thing, she's the youngest of my sisters and the only one not married. She wants to serve god. She reminds me of you in a lot of ways.' Her frown deepens as I smirk at the choice of words spoken. 'Me? How so, I've been training to kill men bigger than me?' I laugh and face her with a smile and it seems to capture our eyes. 'I mean the way you were so determined to fight and be trained. She's stubborn very much like you, but not as strong hearted.' 'All of your sisters are married to soldiers?' I shake my head no and look back to the fire, pondering the answer to this complicated question._

_'No. My oldest sister was married to Ivan at a young age, before he was trusted into the royal guard at my side. Karolina has taken duty for his family on the council as he left to fight.' A short silence follows as we both linger in the image of Ivan's death and I think of how Karolina suffered when word got back to her of Ivan. As if she sensed I needed a change of topic, another question sounds from her fragile soft voice. 'And the others?' I swallow my grief and daze off into the fire as I explain my family to this strange beautiful creature. 'Sonya is married to a councilman from the Badica family, well, she is to be married. They would like me to walk her down the aisle, but then the war began and now it's a waiting game.' She nods in understanding and more silence lingers as I await the next obvious question. 'And Viktoria wants to serve god, so that leaves you... The only prince without a wife or lady in waiting.' I nod and face the floor preparing to explain my feelings on marriage and love and being a prince who leads his army into battle at the moment's notice. 'Do you not want to be married because of the war...? Or because your-other reasons?' I sigh, fold my hands at my knees and stare ahead at the darkness enclosing the forest. 'What do you mean other reasons?' 'When I was a young girl and my family lived in the Moroi kingdom, my mother once told me the story of Queen Daniela Ivashkov. How she was forced to marry king Nathan because of her family's finances and her fathers greed for power over the council. Is it like that for you, in Baia, do you have to marry to accommodate your family?' I shake my head no and release a deep cleansing breath._

_The cricket's sound, the men quiet from eating their dinner and the beautiful Rose to my left awaits my answer. 'No. No, in Baia, you can marry to better your life and for financial reasons. You can also marry someone who makes you a better person, someone your happy with, someone who takes you for who you are and how you make each other feel. In Baia, the Dhampir people, they can marry for love.' 'And there's no one in Baia that you love?' I swallow my answer, not yet; I've had my fair share of opportunity with many women. They throw themselves at me; propose me with fine cooking and many children, all the sons I could want. It was fine; they had all the reasons for me to give them a chance. To wife them and raise a family, but battle and war, the fight to protect my people had always lay first in my heart. That and I wanted love. 'As odd as it sounds, being a prince does have its advantages with women and that sort of thing. However, my duty to my people will always come first.' Rose nods silently, but in her silence I sense another wonder, another question. 'Don't you want a family of your own someday? A reason to fight as you do, but to come home not just to your people, but to your family?'_

**Rose.**

My sweaty hand wipes the dirt away from my face, the groans of men and swishes of swords clashing as we fight for our lives. We were about a few hundred miles outside, near Omsk and that's when they attacked. Moroi left and right, attacking with no mercy and there were many more than before. I rise from the ground not being able to make it to my horse before they attacked. Dimitri made it a point that no matter what a soldier, a well trusted skilled one, was always at my side. Mikhail had my back and I had his. We rode together, fought together and killed as many as we could. Once again they had surprised attacked us and it was beginning to rain. The light droplets grace the battle field as I wait with the second wave of men for Dimitri's word to attack once more.

Now back on my horse, I spot him easily, working his sword and commanding his men as he was born to do. His hair swishes in the wind created by his fierce graceful movements with the enemy. He rides off in determined speed, his face a frown of strong silent fury waiting to be released on the people opposing a threat to him and his people. Mikhail clears his throat next to me and catches my eyes. 'He won't signal until he's taken out enough...' I shake my head and grip my sword a little tighter, not believing a word out of Mikhail's mouth. 'Why? We are ready for him, he will signal any time now there's too many to handle on their own.' Mikhail shakes his head in my peripheral view and faces me as I stare out to the grassy part of where Dimitri and a few men attempt to hold them off. 'Miss Rose, the prince can take out many men when he has reason to.' 'He's protecting us, what do you think? You should be honored to follow such a man into battle and live among his kingdom.' Mikhail's eyes harden at me and he nods agreeing. 'I am.' A long silence follows our heated exchange and finally the signal is given to Mikhail and we ride down the few feet to meet our fellow soldiers. Leaving the pointless doubt behind.

I fight my way through, clashing swords, bumping shields and swinging with all my strength the sword the blacksmith has altered for me to carry. The Moroi are strong and most built as if weight training since birth. Their hits stumble me, push back my horse and I almost lose my momentum every time. I carry on though with Mikhail by my side and finishing off the Moroi soldiers I've already wounded. We work well together as long as I don't lose him and stick to the training the prince has given me. The Moroi are everywhere it seems, I lose track of Mikhail once, but easily find him again and were back to fighting like we have been for a lifetime. I hear the groans and yells of the men we have destroyed and wounded. I search for the prince, every time I hear a cry of agony, I couldn't help it. The flashes or memories that we have shared flood my mind as I ride off into the next chaotic battle.

_He sits quietly by the fire, his gentle rough hands folded at his lap and his dark deep eyes pasted on the floor. 'One day I would like a family to come home to from war and have all the memories of pain fade away. To see children smile widely as I come up the grass fields of my home and know that I've fought with my life to get back to them.' He sat in silence again and this time I waited for him to finish. I wondered if the prince was the type of man that believed he could have that love. A love so powerful it changed the way he felt about putting it away for the duty of protection. A love to share with a woman who understood his duty enough that she would love him anyway, in spite of him being a royal leader. 'Come back to a wife who would understand me, not just my title as prince and future king, but the role it calls upon me and love me anyway. A wife who would wait for me for all of time.' That had answered my question and I looked at the handsome prince in a whole new way ever since. 'I would hope you find your love and have your children. I would pray for it, it's something many people have, but many take for granted.' He looked to me and our eyes met in a deeper understanding of one another. 'I would hope and pray with my whole life, Roza that you will find the same.'_

The moment fades as I'm struck with a heavy sword from a Moroi with blood oozing out of his left shoulder. He's been wounded by my hand, but hasn't yet met his demise. I fight with him as Mikhail squares off with two others leading right toward us. My search for Dimitri vanishes as I am now focused on the task at hand, survive this soldier and move on to the next; quickly. He's tough to stick again and harder to block it seems, but I don't give up. I tighten my hand upon my sword, grip my shield and hide my open side behind it and don't hesitate as I swing at him. Our swords clash and the loudest of clanks sounds throughout the forest. My hand aches from the impact and I almost drop the sword, but my shield suffers and falls. My left side is open and ready to be struck and that's exactly what happens as I miss the Moroi's chest and his sword glides across my left side. From the top of my shoulder over the side of my breast and ending at my rib. The armor protects me, but my shoulder somehow seeps out a deep rich blood and I'm worried. Mikhail shouts for reinforcements and at my delay in reaction, the Moroi's sword strikes again. This time slashing my arm and causing more blood to spill.

**Dimitri.**

'Она раненых!' Mikhail's loud booming voice brings me out of the fight I was in the middle of. I look for her before finishing off the worthless Moroi soldier who now lies at my feet. I search; my eyes wide with fury and worry look for her as If she's the smallest spot on the biggest of maps. I ride off in a direction I don't know whether she is or isn't. I just ride, the rain growing heavier, the horse moves full speed ahead and I'm slashing anything in my way as I keep searching for her. My sword meets others, cutting skin and stabbing through bodies. I don't focus on who I'm killing and keep riding off into an area I'm not sure Rose is. My vision blurred from the grime and blood splashing at me. I speed up my horse and ride into a rage of battle, men cutting men, horses being dropped and trampled on. There are too many Moroi this time and we are outnumbered by hundreds.

I have to get to Rose, get Mikhail to get her out of here and kill as many as possible before they make the rest of the way into Omsk and then attack the gates of Baia. I still search for her, looking in all directions and when I hear Mikhail's voice again this time closer, I know exactly where to look. Once I spot them, I notice Mikhail is fighting off three men who were going for a wounded Rose. One gets passed him and begins to fight with her. Now she is strong, but not when she's wounded which is what Mikhail had shouted. I watch as they spar, wounded girl with just a sword and skilled soldier swinging away as if she's practice. The thought sickens me and it makes me drive harder to get to her side. A few Moroi catch my direction and ride toward me, three of them, but I keep pushing. I draw my sword and swing to kill which I do with the first one. The second a little harder to wound as I keep my eyes back and forth to Rose. She's holding on as long as she can, but the Moroi is too strong and she's fighting a losing battle. The third soldier on me strikes me in the back, but only cuts my armor. I turn all my focus on the men and let go of the control I'm known for having. It felt savage, like something else entirely has taken over my body and ends the lives before me merciless. I begin to ride off into the direction of Rose again and that's when I see red.

She's been knocked off her horse and is now at the filthy Moroi's feet awaiting a horrid savage death. It makes me scream to my horse to ride faster, makes my hand grip tighter on my sword and makes my heart beat a million times faster than before. The sweat pouring down my face isn't from the exhausting fighting, it's from the worry. The worry of Rose's life ending much too soon. 'Mikhail!' I shout in a panic before I see him finally strike down the Moroi who was just about to slash Roza's throat with his sword. Mikhail picks her up and she's on his horse as Edison rides up to meet me as we get close to them. I get off my horse and run to examine Rose. 'Are you okay?' She nods a little startled and tired, but the blood only makes me angrier. 'I'm fine.' I glare at Mikhail and shake my head as Eddie tries for my attention. 'I should have stayed closer to you or made Mikhail stay with you.' She shakes her head no and I once again hear Edison's voice sounding for my attention. 'I'm fine, your highness, it's just a scratch.' She shows me her arm and I see the blood seep through cloth of her ripped up clothes. 'Mikhail never left my side, we had just lost each other in the fight, but he got there in time.' I sigh in relief or disappointment... I'm not sure what.

'Sir!' 'Are you sure you are okay, Rose?' she nods as Mikhail wraps her arm tightly to stop the bleeding. 'It was only a few men but, we handled them and I'm fine. Really.' I sigh again and keep looking her over in case we have missed something else injuring. 'Sir, please-' I wave Eddie off and keep my eyes to Rose. I needed to explain my worry, explain my determination to make sure no evil Moroi scum would ever come close to touching her. 'When you fell off the horse, I thought-' She smiled brightly and winced a little as Mikhail knots the cloth keeping her wound safe. 'You thought all of that training for nothing?' The men laugh and so does Rose, but I keep my eyes serious and focused on her. 'No. No, I thought I had lost you.'

**Rose.**

The silence is intense as Mikhail and Eddie try to ignore what the prince has just revealed. I watch him as he focuses on Mikhail still looking over my arm. His eyes had always said everything he couldn't and I knew how to read him. I don't know when it happen or how it came to be, but the prince and I had developed some sort of silent bond. I watch as he goes over in his own mind of what he's just said and then it quickly washes away as Eddie speaks breaking the tension. 'Sir, the Moroi have called for reinforcements, there will be too many to fight. What should we do, our other camps are nowhere near here. The closest have barely hit ST. Petersburg.' The news deflects off of Dimitri, but he acknowledges Eddie with a slight nod.

Our eyes are still focused on each other as Mikhail gets off his horse and helps Eddie with his injuries, leaving me and Dimitri alone. I clear my throat and hold my injured arm close to my chest as Dimitri's eyes never leave me. 'I'm fine now, I can manage, I'll just stay in back of Mikhail and help him wound as many as I can. I can still fi-' 'Eddie!' He cuts me off and Eddie snaps his attention to the both of us. 'How far are the others?' Eddie looks out to the field where there's men still fighting, he's breathing hard and ready to go back in the swarm of deadly men. 'Just outside of ST. Petersburg, sir.' Dimitri looks off into the men fighting and then off into a distance that's clear and then back to me. 'How much time until they arrive?' Eddie shrugs and shakes his head. 'It's hard to tell, sir. It could be long until their close enough to get word, a messenger has been sent, but it's hard to say.'

This leaves a lot of worry and unknown options as we try to think of a way to stall until help arrives and that's if help isn't attacked first. With a final glance to the far off distance of trees where no one seems to be and then one back to me. Dimitri sighs tiredly and nods to himself letting us know he's come up with a plan to get us out of this mess or into an even bigger one. His eyes linger on me as he explains the idea he has just come up with and I can already tell I'm not going to like it. 'We will have to hold them off as long as we can. Tell the men to work as one and watch each other's backs, we risk nothing or no one.' Eddie rides off on his horse and back into the battle yelling orders to the men he's just received. Dimitri avoids my eyes and speaks to Mikhail in Russian first before peeking at me quickly and then looking back to Mikhail. 'No matter what you don't stop riding until you've hit the gates, tell the council we need more men and then you return. Quickly.'

His words were firm when he spoke and I could tell I was missing a big part of information that was part of the plan. I looked to both men in confusion, waiting for my orders and part in this last attempt against the Moroi. 'What do I tell the queen about Miss Rose?' Dimitri's eyes meet mine and in them there's sadness, and hope, and disappointment. Although I'm sure it was for me as his next orders made me realize something big. 'Tell them we rescued her and she's to be treated with the up most respect as if she was a royal herself. Tell them she stays in my quarters and to have anything ready on hand that she needs.' I glared at him as Mikhail readied his horse and ignored us or pretended to ignore us. I was in disbelief of what I was hearing and spoke before he could open his mouth to talk. 'We will wait for you down the hill, for your signal like last time. We will come in and attack from behind...' Dimitri's sullen sad look gave me chills, but not the good kind. 'No, it's too dangerous for you to stay here-' 'I'm not going to leave. I've been in this situation before and I'm ready.' Dimitri shook his head no and held my shoulders gently with his rough yet soft hands. He was already telling me the plan without having to say anything and I did not like where it was going, in fact it infuriated me. 'I'm not made of glass! I can help you!'

I removed his hands with my good arm from my body and the loss affected me immediately. 'Rose, please-' 'No! Dimitri, I can help, I'm fine now!' He shook his head once more at me and stepped closer, the proximity making the moment more tense. 'I don't want you to help. I want you to go.' I shake my head at him now and try to step away, noticing Mikhail in hurry with getting his horse ready for travel instead of battle. 'I want to fight!' 'I don't need you to fight; I need you to run, Roza! Back to Baia!' By this time his hands and gentle fingers held each side of my face as close to his as possible. I could feel his breath across my own and the action, the look of pure sincerity in his eyes made me want to cry. 'Get to safety, Roza, put my mind to ease and let me focus solely on this.' He nods back to the battle field where the men are fighting with their lives. I shake my head as tears develop, I didn't want to leave. My vengeance and chance to get back at the Moroi wasn't over yet. 'I'm not going to leave you. I won't!' At this time our hands touched each other's faces as gently and strong as possible. His touch felt like fire across my sweaty skin, making me want to stay as close as I could to him, but also making me want to do what he says and leave. 'We are ready, Sir' Dimitri nods at Mikhail's words and pulls me closer to his warm rough body as the rain picks up. 'I'm not going to leave...' I sob now as tears begin to fall slowly. 'No. No, I made you leave me. To wait for me...' His eyes showed the meaning of his words and I knew then why he wanted me to leave. 'Get inside the safety of the gates and I will come to you. You wait, Roza, wait for me.' I shake my head again, crying as I've never cried before. I'm usually the one saying goodbye to the ones I cared about, the people I loved. He nods and kisses my forehead. 'No, please...' I beg him, but he shakes his head and wipes a few dirty tears from my eyes. 'You go and wait... You wait for me. So we can be married… and you will never have to be without family ever again, Roza.' That said it all, all I needed to hear and I closed my eyes as our lips met in a soft slow kiss. 'Mikhail, now!'

**A Few Weeks Later...**

I lie in the velvet blanket bed and watch the ceiling for the longest time. Another night alone in a fancy palace I've come to know as Dimitri's home. It's been weeks with no word of the soldiers that were left fighting back outside of Omsk. Olena, the queen of Baia, had accepted me as one of their own after Mikhail explained how I was rescued and helped the men kill many Moroi. She gave me my own quarters in the wing where Dimitri's room was and close to the library he always loved to be in she said. My wounds had healed, my life was forever changed and my dreams -if I had the luxury to actually fall asleep- were of Dimitri.

The day Mikhail returned with a few men was both exciting and disappointing. He didn't bring back many men with him, just ones who needed time to heal and then took more men in exchange. He left with only the news that the prince's camp had been split up and some men were lost, missing or dead. The Belikova's wished and hoped that Dimitri were among the ones missing or lost, but not dead. No, he was too skilled for such pitiful men to end his life. Something else, something more life threatening or something unexpected would take him from this world and not for a long time. Or so Yeva had said. She had the dreams or visions like Dimitri had said, just like Rhea. Time passed and people grew up and throughout the everlasting war. No word would come for days, but when it did there was never any word of Dimitri or any of his men that he lead with his whole heart into battle. So I waited, just as he asked me to. I would wait and wait for that day. I would have to wait, pray and hope. I would hope that someday my prince will come.

**About A Year Later...**

In the sky, the pure blue cloudless sky, the sun shined a new bright light into the fields. The tall yellow weeds of grass went on and on for miles behind the palace. Karolina had said that this was Dimitri's favorite place to be when he was struggling with life's uncertainties. Viktoria would always tell me to pray there, as often as I went, maybe the prayers would reach him and god would give him more strength to come back to us. To me. I went here almost every day, touching the tall grass lightly and thinking of Dimitri and how he rescued me. He rescued me willingly this time. 'Rosemarie...' How much adoration and love in his eyes that made me finally see his point in trying to save me and get me out of harm's way. 'Child...' How our talks as we trained or as we sat by the campfires would stay in my mind. How at night I would pray and hope that he would just show up at the gates and take me here to the tall grass behind the palace and we would be together. 'Rosemarie!'

A fragile yet strong voice snaps me out of my stupor and I turn to face Yeva standing at the beginning of the fields. 'Yes?' Paul, Karolina's oldest son who reminds me little of Ivan runs up to me and stops just a few feet ahead. 'What is it Paul?' He points back to Yeva and we both look over to her smug slight smirk. She holds up her hands over mouth to ensure that I hear what she has to say and begins yelling lightly. 'Come along, child.' I look to Paul and then back to Yeva in confusion. 'You should also dress for the occasion!' I look back to Paul again in even more confusion and he just shrugs. 'Why?' I yell back wondering. Yeva smiles and shakes her head smiling smugly. 'Have you lost hope already, child?' It takes me a few minutes to gather what she is saying. Unlike Rhea, who was straight forward with her visions or dreams and telling them. Yeva like to hide some things and keep you guessing with what she saw and leave you to figure it out on your own. Then as she stands there smiling widely, Paul runs back to her and they smile to each other, it dawns on me. I look to Yeva again and slowly, a wide glorious joyful smile graces my face as I realize what she means. 'Come on, Roza, we will be late for his arrival.'

**Okay, this is the last chapter of this Banner Bunny entry. Thank you all so much for reading, alerting, fav and reviewing. And a special thanks to Mandy for the lovely banner and contest. Go check out the Facebook group for VA lovers like myself "Juliette had it easy; she never had to kill Romeo". Where theres more banner entries to read, VA things to discuss and awesome people to talk to.**

**And as always, Thank You so much for reading! (:**


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